Testing device for ignition systems



' 1,617,617 f 15, 2 w. .1. DOODY TESTING DEVICE FOR IGNITION SYSTEMS Filed Sept. 4, 1924 is zo Z4 4:

I 7 1,617,617 r Artur onEiic s.

,EwAmER J. DOODY, or BOSTON, AssAonusnrrs.

' :zrnsrmennvicn roe renrrron SYSTEMS.

Application filed September 1924. Serial No 735,788

This-inventionrelates to a testing device I for ignition systems and more particularly j to a testing'device'for the jump spark ignition systems commonly; used upon internal 3 combustion ,enghiesof'motor vehicles.

The' object ofthe'iijn entiOn is to provide a no'vel and improved device of the character specified, by which the spark coils controllingthe ignition. leading to any particular 1 cylinder of the enginemay'be selectively renfderedf inoperative in a simple and highly convenientmanner to'the' end that the oper- V v at'or may test the ignition circuits of the ..;engine by" selectiveiycutting out successive 'cylin'ders*o'f the engine' to locate the trouble.

The spark coils controlling the ignitionof I :the usual'; motor vehicle" engine are arranged I side by sidein arcoil'bjox, usually supported upon-the --dash of theyehicle and with lead 2 0' wires'connecting the terminals of the box 'with "the spark plugs and other portions of the ignition circuits.

2 by a removable cover and at the present time w it .is the usual practice, in order to test the ignition system for trouble, to selectively short circuit successive spark coils and for i this purpose the operator is required to removethe coverfromthe box and to hold 7 down the usual vibrators with the fingers. The coil box is usually attached to the dash well under the cowl of the'motorvehicle in an inaccessible position, and it is inconvenient for the operator to reach in under the cowl'tohthe coilbox and remove the cover and hold down a particular vibrator whose coil it isdesired to short circuit. In accordance with the present invention, the coil box isprovided with mechanism which is capableof operation from the exterior of thefcoil box and without requiring the re vlnoval of the cover, for selectively renderin the s ark coils ino erative for testin a P P a:

purposes. Inthe preferred form of the in- .vention, the cover of the coil box is provided with operating members projecting through openings therein to above the same,

and which are operatively connected with insulating members yieldingly held by springs [within the coil box and which are adapted f to engage the vibrators to hold down the same when the operating members are depressed. In'the use of the testing device embodying this invention, the operator The circuits are ar- I flyranged in such manner that one spark coil i I Icontrols the'ignition of a particular cylinder. 5 The spark coils are enclosed within the box merely reaches under the, cowl-and presses down any one of the opei'ating:-members projecting through the cover to short circuit the particular spark coil. These and other features'of the invention with 'a portion of the cover broken away;

will be hereinafter 'described and particu- I larly defined in the claims at the of this Fig. 2 is an inverted plan'ofthe cover of the coil box shown in'Fig. 1 F ig.3 is an elevation with a portionin vertical'section of the coil box shown in Fig. 1'';' and Fig. 4 is; a detail in perspective to be referred to.

Referring to the drawing, 10 represents the usual coil boxwhic'h is'secu re'd to the dash of the motor vehicle, and in the usual construction of motor vehicle is secured underneath the cowl in an inaccessible position. The coil box 10 illustrated in the drawingv is of the type employed upon Ford motor vehicles and is provided with a reremovable cover 12 which is removably secured to the body of the coil box 10 by clasps13 as shown in Fig.3. The spark coils 14, only one of which is shown'in Fig. 3, are arranged side by side within the coil box 10, one for each cylinder, and the usual electrical connections are made from each spark coil, to the spark plug of each cylinder and. including the commutator and other standard parts of the ignition circuit.

In accordance with the present invention, and as illustrated in the drawing, the cover 12 of the coil box is provided with a plurality of openings 16 therein, one arranged over each spark coil and an operating member 20 is arranged to project through said opening into aposition above the surface of the cover, being yieldingly maintained in such position by a leaf spring 22 riveted or otherwise secured to the underside of the cover, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The operating member 20 has connected to it, an insulating member 2 1, herein shown as an insulating block provided with a groove 26 in the under surface thereof, forming in effect a yoke which is adapted to straddle the usual vibrators 28 of the spark coil when the operating member is depressed. With this construction the operator may selective- 1y short circuit the spark coils to locate the source of trouble, by simply reaching in under the cowl and over the top of the coil box and depressing the particular operating member or knob 20 corresponding to the cylinder which it is desired to test, and upon depression of the knob or operating member 20 the insulating block 24; engagescovers of coil boxes, after providing such cover with the openings 16. J i

It will be observed that in accordance with the present invention, the ignition circuits of the different cylinders may be tested in a convenient and exceedingly simple man- 'ner without necessitating removal of the cover of the coil box or of access in any way to the interior of the coil box.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described,

it is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what- 18 claimed is:

1. A coil box having therein a plurality of spar; coils provided with vibrators,

springs attached to the underside of the cover, insulating members carried by the springs for engaging saidvibrators when the springs are depressed, and operating members projecting through the cover and connected with the insulating members and springs, for depressing the springs to cause the insulating members to hold down the vibrators tor the purpose specified.

2.1 1s a newnrticle of manufacture, a

cover for a coil box provided with openings therein, springs attached to the underside of the cover, insulating members carried by the springs adapted to engage the vibrators of the spark coils when the cover is applied to the coil box and the springs are depressed, and operating members connected with said insulating members and springs and projecting through the openings in the cover to be accessible from outside the cover for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WALTER J. DOODY. 

